This invention relates to snap action switch blades.
Many different types of snap action switch blade are known, particularly for use in thermostatic switches. The switch blade is acted upon at one point by a movable operating member associated, for example, with a temperature responsive element such as a fluid-filled bellows or diaphragm or a bimetal element, the switch blade being prestressed so that when the operating member has made a predetermined movement the blade deforms with a snap action from one configuration to another, causing rapid movement of a switch contact attached to a part of the blade remote from the operating member. The prestressing of such a switch blade is normally effected by a separate spring element acting upon the blade or by a special construction of the blade itself. This generally necessitates at least two component parts.
An object of the present invention is to provide a simple construction of inherently prestressed snap action switch blade which is of simple manufacture and which is versatile in its practical applications.